A Circle of Flame- Sirius Black x OC

Chapter 35

"Hey," Liza sat beside Myra on the library's corner couch. Normally avoided by the student body, the tartan fabric was stained with a number of undeterminable substances that couldn't be removed. Such furniture was skeptical in the Muggle world, but when the stains could be dragon's blood or Bubotuber pus, wizards didn't want to take their chances.

"Have you managed to talk to Reg this year?" Myra nodded towards where Regulus Black sat, Evan on his left and Lestrange on his right. A fake grin lifted his cheeks as he gestured towards some diagram in a thin notebook.

Liza pursed her lips. "Barely said hello to him in the common room before he made an excuse and disappeared. Turned full dark wizard now, I reckon."

"Don't say that." Myra's tone was sharp until she caught Liza's hurt glance. Her dark eyes shaded with regret. "It's just—I know you're probably right. But I can't think about it." The Slytherin shuttered. "It's still a miracle my parents haven't reported my absence. Once they do, I won't be able to show my face in the common room."

The girls slipped into an uneasy silence. Liza wasn't sure that Myra's fears were unfounded. Slytherins like Rosier were exceptionally good at wielding nasty curses in dark corridors.

"Do you have any idea why they haven't reported you?"

"Out of the goodness of their hearts?" Myra gave a derisive snort as she flicked a thin braid behind her shoulder. "Probably delaying it as long as possible. Once it's out, the Dark Lord will want to know why their pureblood daughter evades his ranks."

A solemn silence weighed over their shoulders. Liza shifted to avoid a sickly green smudge on the arm of the sofa. She desperately hoped that the daughter of the low-ranked Rowles wouldn't attract much attention from the Dark Lord. Surely, he spent enough of his time destroying their world.

"Hi!"

A bright, confident voice broke their dismal mood. However, Liza still had to force a frown of suspicion from her forehead.

"Hey, Lily."

She pretended not to notice as Lily sat beside Myra, curling their fingers together beneath the folds of her skirt. Was the Gryffindor not aware of the precarious position her girlfriend dangled from? It would be like Myra to omit the more worrisome details.

"What are you lot up to today?" Lily's face was flushed a light pink, her hair tied into a simple half-knot. The rest of her red waves tumbled towards her waist.

"Trying to finish Binns' assignment." Liza tossed her quill from her bag and onto the table. "Ruddy ghost assigned one hundred lines on witch burnings in England."

A slight furrow deepened the dimple in Lily's chin. The Gryffindor was careful not to besmirch the professors. Liza had yet to figure out how she and Myra were compatible.

"You don't need a NEWT in history to apply to St. Mungo's."

Liza shifted another stack of books onto the table and avoided the redhead's gaze. She didn't want to admit that Lily was the reason for her schedule change. If St. Mungo's didn't work out, Liza needed another career path. History was a general suggestion for many governmental and educational positions.

"Just seeing where it takes me," she turned as Myra whispered something into Lily's ear. "How are your friends?"

"Wh—oh," Lily flushed as she pulled away from Myra. "Alice and Frank are certain to be engaged any day now. He's training to be an auror at the Ministry. Says it's no walk in the park."

The meaning of the Muggle saying was lost on Liza's untrained ears.

"Sort of like us saying 'it's not petting a Pygmy Puff," Myra explained quickly. Lily shot her a thankful gaze. The girls' eyes lingered on each other a moment too long.